Traveler s trunk or sample-case



Patented Jan. 1, 1895.

P. J. PALIGA.

- Wail/Z Ji wh'ca TRAVE LERS TRUNK 0B, SAMPLE GASE- (Nu-Model.)

cover open.

NITED STATES PATENT Utmost FRANK J. PALICA, O'FRAOINE, WISCONSIN.

TRAVELERS TRUNK OR SAMPLE-CASE.

SEEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531 ,639, dated January 1, 1895. Application filed March 26, 1894- Serial No. 505,122. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK J. PALICA, of Racine, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Travelers Trunks or Sample-Cases; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in travelers trunks and sample cases, and has for its object to provide means whereby the hinged cover and the adjacent parts of. the body of the trunk shall mutually brace and support each other when the cover is'closed, with the effect of giving great strength in resistance to the racking strains to which such receptacles are subjected in use.

To this end the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of a trunk constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the Fig. g m a reduced section on line 2-2 of; Fig. 1 but with the cover closed. Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are sectional details showing different forms of angle bars adapted for use on the cover. Fig. 8 is a detail section of an angle bar formed from a single sheet of material by properly folding the same.

A designates the body of the trunk and B the cover thereof. Said body is herein shown of rectangular shape and comprises the usual front, rear and end walls a, a and a rigidly secured together and to a suitable bottom a The cover B is hinged to the rear wall a and is adapted, when closed, to fit within the open top of the body of the trunk, the length and width of the cover being substantially equal to the corresponding interior dimensions 0 thetrunk body A.

Along the edge of the cover B is secured a flange plate B adapted'to engage or overlap the upper edges of the walls of the body A so as to support the cover when in its closed position, such plate being preferably an angle bar or channel bar in one or other of the forms shown. The plate B covers the joint between the cover and the body and forms a connection between the cover and the Walls of the trunk body by means of which they mutually strengthen and support each other against In Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 the flange plate B v of Z-form is made with a vertical part b applied to the edge of the cover and connecting the flange b with an inner flange b the latter being secured to the inner face of the cover. In Fig. 7 a Zformed plate, applied as last described, is reinforced by a valance b serving to conceal the joint at the edge of the cover and to strengthen the support of the latter. In Figs. 5 and 6 thetop flange b overlaps and is secured to the outer face of the cover B and, in connection with flanges b and b similar to those in Fig. 8, forms a channel barcompletely incasing the edge of the cover B.

In each of the constructions shown the several flanges of theangle bar are preferably made integral with each other, and the flange plate in any of its angular forms may be made by folding into the proper shape a single sheet of metal, or other suitable material, as indicated in Fig. 8, in which case some of the flanges will be double and others of single thickness.

Although the open top of the body of the trunk is shown as being perfectly plain with the cover adaptedto fit within the same all around, it will be obvious that said cover may dropbetween two opposite sides, as the front and back of the body, and may extend over and rest upon the remaining opposite sides, in which case the two opposite walls of the body upon which the cover rests will be cut down below the other two sides a distance equal to the thickness of the cover. This,

however, will not interfere with the use of the angle bar herein described on those edges of the cover which fit between the other two walls of the body, while those edges of the cover which extend over and rest upon the walls of the body may be provided with angle bars of the kind set forth in my pending application, Serial No. 505,124, filed concurrently herewith.

The flange plates or angle bars B will ordinarily be made of metal but any other material found suitable for the purpose may be employed, if desired. Being relatively thin such metallic or other angle bar will obviously occupy practically no space and will not reduce the capacity of the trunk. Strength ening cleats 0 may be employed in connection with either of the flange plates B, if so desired, as shown in Fig. 2, and, in general, the trunk in its ordinary details may be constructed in any manner found desirable and convenient for the particular uses to which it is to be put.

Trunks made in accordance with theseimprovements are particularly well adapted for use by traveling salesmen as sample cases, since they possess great strength and durability and are of relatively large capacity.

I claim as my invention- 1. A travelers trunk having a hinged cover which fits within the open top of the body of the trunk and is provided along its edge with an attached flange plate comprising a flange which overlaps the inner face of the cover and is secured thereto, a flange adapted to rest upon, but which is unattached to, the upper edge of the wall of the trunk body, and an intermediate part connecting said two flanges which extends over and protects the edge of the cover, substantially as described.

2. A travelers trunk having a hinged cover which fits within the open top of the body of the trunk and is provided along its edge with an attached flange plate comprising a flange which extends over and is secured to the inner face of the cover, a second flange adapted to rest upon and which is unattached to the upper edge of the wall of the trunk body, a part connecting said two flanges which extends over and serves to protect the edge of the cover, and a third flange which is continued inward over the upper face of and is secured to the cover whereby the edge of the cover is inclosed by said flange plate, substantially as described.

3. A travelers trunk having a cover which fits within the open mouth of the body of the trunk and is provided along its edge with an attached flange plate comprising a flange which extends over and is secured to the inner face of the cover, a second flange adapted to rest upon but unattached to the upper edge of the wall of the trunk body and having a depending outer or marginal flange adapted to overlap the outer surface of the trunk wall, a part connecting said first and second flanges which extends over and protects the edge of the cover, and a flange extending inward over and secured to the upper face of the cover, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK J. PALICA. Witnesses:

ANDREW DIETRICH, WILL II. CARPENTER. 

